Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 132

Devanagari script

उपर्युपरि देवानामन्योन्यातिशये स्थितम् । नरैः पुण्यफलं स्वर्गे मूलच्छेदेन भुज्यते

Transliteration

uparyupari devānāmanyonyātiśaye sthitam | naraiḥ puṇyaphalaṃ svarge mūlacchedena bhujyate

Translation

ദേവന്മാരിൽ മേലേമേലേ ഓരോരുത്തനും മറ്റൊരുത്തനെ അതിക്രമിച്ച് നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; മനുഷ്യർ സ്വർഗത്തിൽ പുണ്യഫലം അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു, എന്നാൽ അത് പുണ്യത്തിന്റെ മൂലത്തെ മുറിച്ചുകൊണ്ടാണ്.

Word by Word

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘above’

• उपरि: above (again)
• उपरि: Desha-adhikarana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति): ‘higher and higher’ इत्यर्थे

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अन्योन्य-अतिशये: in mutual superiority (one over another)
• अन्योन्य-अतिशये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अन्योन्यस्य अतिशयः)

• स्थितम्: is situated
• स्थितम्: Kriya-predicative (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (इह) ‘स्थितम्’ = situated/placed

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• पुण्यफलम्: the fruit of merit
• पुण्यफलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यस्य फलम्)

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मूलच्छेदेन: by cutting at the root (root-cutting)
• मूलच्छेदेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मूलस्य छेदः)

• भुज्यते: is enjoyed, is consumed
• भुज्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense): ‘is enjoyed/consumed’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vertical, tiered svarga with multiple deva-levels, each more resplendent than the last; below, a human soul holding a ‘root’ labeled puṇya that is being cut/consumed as pleasures are enjoyed.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Heaven is not final liberation: enjoyment there consumes the very merit that produced it; seek mokṣa through enduring dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is praised in this verse; it discusses the general purāṇic view of svarga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the teaching encourages pursuing higher spiritual goals beyond merit-based enjoyment.